Interesting comment from Andy Katz

[HooperScooper]

I know we've talked about it on here but I haven't seen any media member talk about it.

But I keep going back to this point: I can’t see how the administration would run the risk of angering Jim Calhoun and the basketball alumni by not hiring Kevin Ollie and his staff -- which now has two UConn former players in Kevin Freeman and Ricky Moore -- long term. Keep in mind that Calhoun isn’t going anywhere in the short term with his office still in the building. If UConn doesn’t hire Ollie then Calhoun would see his entire staff essentially fired.

3-point shot: Secret scrimmages

I can understand that Manuel is in a very tough spot here. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

 

[Adios]

Should have just given Ollie a 3 year contract. Could have used the money saved on his contract to fix the football program's coaching staff.

 

[CTBasketball]

The more and more I read about this, the more and more I want the season to roll around so Ollie can prove them wrong and get that extension.

 

[freescooter]

What's Calhoun going to do if Ollie gets fired after this season? What can he do? He complains it sounds like an old crank with sour grapes. if Ollie is replaced by a name, he's really stuck too. For example, he's going to say Ollie is more qualified than Stevens? who took a team to the finals 2 years in succession? As far as basketball alumni, when one of them does a Carmelo Anthony and ponies up big bucks for the new gym he can complain. Otherwise, they'll do what they do. among the current staff only Blaney, and Miller aren't UConn guys, by the way, and Miller started here but transferred.

 

[huskiesnyc]

The more and more I read about this, the more and more I want the season to roll around so Ollie can prove them wrong and get that extension.

I'm finally onboard. Lets get to April so KO can get the contract he deserves, and we can finally move forward without all the question marks.

 

[hungry husky]

I think winning that NC St. game would make a major statement. Calhoun is not gonna let this guy fail.

FWIW, they have one guy over 6'8 on their roster.

 

[tcf15]

I think winning that NC St. game would make a major statement. Calhoun is not gonna let this guy fail.

FWIW, they have one guy over 6'8 on their roster.

Can't wait for that game. Same goes for the MSU game. Opening the season with a win over then will be a big to all KO's critics.

 

[Waquoit]

Something to keep in mind is that when it comes to UConn, Katz is JC's ventriloquist dummy. I would rather JC let Ollie show us what he can do for now, while JC earns his millions by fundraising and enhancing the UConn brand. Instead of trying to kneecap the AD.

 

[Yonick]

What's Calhoun going to do if Ollie gets fired after this season? What can he do? He complains it sounds like an old crank with sour grapes. if Ollie is replaced by a name, he's really stuck too. For example, he's going to say Ollie is more qualified than Stevens? who took a team to the finals 2 years in succession? As far as basketball alumni, when one of them does a Carmelo Anthony and ponies up big bucks for the new gym he can complain. Otherwise, they'll do what they do. among the current staff only Blaney, and Miller aren't UConn guys, by the way, and Miller started here but transferred.

Miller started here under Perno, transferred to Northeastern under JC, but came back here as an assistant and earned his bachelors from UConn. So, he is a UConn guy.

 

[3uconn]

He also said that he saw Jim Calhoun talking with a recruit. That means that Brandon Austin is on his official.

 

[SubbaBub]

The one year deal was so idiotic, there has to be more we don't know.

Expect a four year deal at some convenient time.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Palatine]

Since the year has no NCAA at the end. The tryout isn't really a bad idea.

If KO proves he can coach. It's probably obvious and he get a nice extension.

If KO has a tough time. It would also probably be obvious. Then WM runs a national search.

The only problem is KO doing mildly well. In that case, WM is treading water.

 

[Huskies4ever]

Since the year has no NCAA at the end. The tryout isn't really a bad idea.

If KO proves he can coach. It's probably obvious and he get a nice extension.

If KO has a tough time. It would also probably be obvious. Then WM runs a national search.

The only problem is KO doing mildly well. In that case, WM is treading water.

It will be interesting to see how things unfold. There are so many variables. We don't know for sure what might sell Manuel on KO and what might not. X's and O's, academics, wins-losses, player development, recruiting. It is a tough year to evaluate when the expectations are low. KO can coach his guts out, the kids could play their hearts out and the results might not be there.

I do believe that if the kids do play hard and together, they will surprise some people. Maybe they will and WM will still not be sold.

 

[upstater]

Something to keep in mind is that when it comes to UConn, Katz is JC's ventriloquist dummy. I would rather JC let Ollie show us what he can do for now, while JC earns his millions by fundraising and enhancing the UConn brand. Instead of trying to kneecap the AD.

Yeah, because JC is the only one in America thinking Manuel's play is a horrendously bad idea. The chances of Katz talking to, say, someone like Donny Marshall are miniscule.

 

[ctchamps]

Since the year has no NCAA at the end. The tryout isn't really a bad idea.

If KO proves he can coach. It's probably obvious and he get a nice extension.

If KO has a tough time. It would also probably be obvious. Then WM runs a national search.

The only problem is KO doing mildly well. In that case, WM is treading water.

I have an additional problem: the team KO has been given to prove himself. JC would have struggled with this team. The only player with any significant experience is SN. TO and RB have good back up minutes but RB is only a sophomore and he missed a third of his freshman year. The front court on paper is horrible. To properly test KO you would have to give him a chance to bring in his players for two or three years. Then you can evaluate whether he is a decent coach or not.

Personally I don't think PP will be the coach for the football team. But I want him to have a least one more season to prove his players are the reason for his losing to MAC teams and not the players left by RE.

 

[Huskies4ever]

I have an additional problem: the team KO has been given to prove himself. JC would have struggled with this team. The only player with any significant experience is SN. TO and RB have good back up minutes but RB is only a sophomore and he missed a third of his freshman year. The front court on paper is horrible. To properly test KO you would have to give him a chance to bring in his players for two or three years. Then you can evaluate whether he is a decent coach or not.

Personally I don't think PP will be the coach for the football team. But I want him to have a least one more season to prove his players are the reason for his losing to MAC teams and not the players left by RE.

Totally agree with everything you said fleud.

Truly, to test how good a coach can be, is to let him build his teams from the bottom up, watch how he coaches, and review the results. KO could very well fail in his stint at UConn, then go on to have a great career at another high major program.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

It was just plain dumb to not give KO a 3 year deal(with buyouts).

By giving him this shortie contract Manuel has hamstung recruiting no matter how dynamic KO is in home visits. And the AD is doing it in a year when JC would be hard pressed to get 15 wins.

A parent is going to look at KO and ask how do we know you will be there? What's he supposed to say other than I hope to be.

 

[Huskies4ever]

[quote="Calhoun's Court, post: 363508, member: 1574"
A parent is going to look at KO and ask how do we know you will be there? What's he supposed to say other than I hope to be.[/quote]

Very good point, being in his predicament. But, you know he will look them square in the eye, and tell them that he will still be coach. And believe it.

 

[champs99and04]

I like the one year contract. People need to understand that Ollie will be evaluated relative to expectations. Manuel's not going to sit down after the season and say, "Ollie won X games, which is two short of the Y games I expected, so we're not bringing him back". There are a variety of factors that will be accounted for, the most important being the development of the players and the team throughout the season. If Ollie can get these guys to play hard, and play together, in a season where there is no real incentive to win games, then that's one check in his box. If Omar Calhoun, Deandre Daniels, and Ryan Boatright are noticeably better by the end of the season, that's another check. If Michigan and N.C. State and Syracuse and Louisville are sweating until the final buzzer, that's a check. You get the point - Manuel's not demanding greatness right away, but there are certain tests a promising coach should be able to pass right away, and if Ollie can do that, he'll get the extension. The bottom line is that Manuel wants to make sure this program is moving forward with a head of steam going into the 2013-2014 season. If that's with Ollie at the helm, great. If Shake Smart is in charge, great. What we cannot afford is a three year lull period.

 

[Huskies4ever]

I like the one year contract. People need to understand that Ollie will be evaluated relative to expectations. Manuel's not going to sit down after the season and say, "Ollie won X games, which is two short of the Y games I expected, so we're not bringing him back". There are a variety of factors that will be accounted for, the most important being the development of the players and the team throughout the season. If Ollie can get these guys to play hard, and play together, in a season where there is no real incentive to win games, then that's one check in his box. If Omar Calhoun, Deandre Daniels, and Ryan Boatright are noticeably better by the end of the season, that's another check. If Michigan and N.C. State and Syracuse and Louisville are sweating until the final buzzer, that's a check. You get the point - Manuel's not demanding greatness right away, but there are certain tests a promising coach should be able to pass right away, and if Ollie can do that, he'll get the extension. The bottom line is that Manuel wants to make sure this program is moving forward with a head of steam going into the 2013-2014 season. If that's with Ollie at the helm, great. If Shake Smart is in charge, great. What we cannot afford is a three year lull period.

We could get more than a three year lull period with either one. We are replacing a legend in JC. But the biggest thing you hit on is "playing hard and together". And I believe if this team does that, they will surprise a lot of people. That's what KO seems to be preaching the most.

 

[DogMania]

I'm finally onboard. Lets get to April so KO can get the contract he deserves, and we can finally move forward without all the question marks.

That's all well and good, but meanwhile recruit after recruit drops us off their list due to the uncertainty if KO and any of the current coaches to that matter will be coaching at UConn next fall when they would arrive.

Yeah, yeah, I sound like a broken record. Manuel's decision not to give KO a multi-year contract has neutered our 2013 recruiting and potentially 2014 as well. I hope I'm wrong and KO and his staff can overcome this. We'll never know, but maybe XRM would have committed and opened the flood gates to other top recruits if they knew KO would be here for the forseeable future.

Maybe after seeing KO have a successful season, Manuel extends him that multi-year contract next spring. Maybe there will be a few top 2013 recruits still on the board next spring that KO is able to jump on late and convince to be Huskies, just as JC was able to do with Daniels last spring. That's a lot of maybes that maybe we would not have to be worrying about if Manuel had put KO in the best possible situation for him to succeed on the court and with recruiting.

 

[sledog]

Suggest the BY enter the fray. Withhold the JC donation until KO is 'hired'. And encourage others to follow suit. After all, KO is part of JC's plan, eh? Don't know what the hell the AD was smoking when he decided on this. Must be an Obamarite with such illogical thinking.

 

[Waquoit]

Suggest the BY enter the fray. Withhold the JC donation until KO is 'hired'. And encourage others to follow suit.

Have you ponied up yet?

 

[selles]

Personally I don't think PP will be the coach for the football team. But I want him to have a least one more season to prove his players are the reason for his losing to MAC teams and not the players left by RE.

This is exactly why I like the 1 year contract. You're right, PP isn't the coach for the football team. It's blatantly obvious.

But even though you sense this, you still want PP to have another year so that he has a fair chance to prove his suckitude beyond a reasonable doubt. That is the fair approach to PP - whose contract, after all, runs for another few years -but it's a godawful approach for UConn football, which will drift further into irrelevancy every year the guy is around.

The 1 year contract for KO is saying, hey, we're not going to do this with the basketball program. We're not making any promises. You've never coached a game but we're going to give you a 1 year shot to show that you can run a program. It's not going to be about your recruits, it's going to be about what you can mold from the clay in front of you. If you can do a good job, great, we'll extend you and all will be well. If you can't, we're going to go in another direction as soon as possible.

The 1 year deal is an effort to make sure that the basketball program is not subjected to the extended mediocrity that's currently afflicting the football program. It's the right approach. And I say that as a guy who has completely fallen in love with KO, and who will be rooting as hard as anyone for his success.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

But I keep going back to this point: I can’t see how the administration would run the risk of angering Jim Calhoun and the basketball alumni by not hiring Kevin Ollie and his staff -- which now has two UConn former players in Kevin Freeman and Ricky Moore -- long term.

In Katz's world, Miller and Hobbs never were UConn players.